Providing an Indication of the Validity of the Identity of an Individual

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to an identity level generating computer which may include a processor and memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to perform a method for generating identity levels for customers of a business. The method for generating identity levels for customers of a business may include electronically receiving customer data regarding at least one of: an identity of the customer, a behavior of the customer, a propensity of a customer and a risk associated with the customer's identity and determining one or more individual characteristic levels based on the electronically received information. According to aspects of this disclosure, determining the one or more individual characteristic levels may include comparing the customer data regarding the at least one of the identity of the customer, the behavior of the customer, the propensity of the customer and the risk associated with the customer's identity with a list predetermined criteria and calculating an identity level based on the comparison of the customer data with the list predetermined criteria.

1 . An identity level generating computer comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to perform a method for generating identity levels for customers of a business, by:
 electronically receiving customer data regarding at least one of: an identity of the customer, a behavior of the customer, a propensity of the customer and a risk associated with the customer's identity; 
 determining one or more individual characteristic levels based on the electronically received information, by
 providing the customer with base individual characteristic level; 
 comparing the customer data regarding the at least one of the identity of the customer, the behavior of the customer, the propensity of the customer and the risk associated with the customer's identity with a list predetermined criteria; and 
 increasing or decreasing the base individual characteristic levels based on the comparison of the customer data with the list predetermined criteria 
 
 determining the identity levels based on the one or more individual characteristic levels. 
   
     
     
         2 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an identity of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has conducted an in-person transaction with a business, a determination of whether the customer has conducted an in-person transaction wherein a photo identification has been presented to and verified by a business and a determination of whether the customer has signed a signature card with a business, 
     
     
         3 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an identity of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the time period since the customer's most recent transaction with a business is within a predetermined time, a determination of whether the length, or term, of the customer's relationship with a business is greater than a predetermined time, a determination of whether the amount of business the customer has with a business is greater than a predetermined amount and a determination of whether the number of accounts the customer has with a business is greater than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         4 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an identity of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has references with whom a business has verified information and a determination of whether the customer has answered security questions related to the customer's past correctly. 
     
     
         5 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an behavior of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction with a person who is already known to have committed fraud and a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction with a person who is on a terror watch list. 
     
     
         6 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an behavior of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction which is greater than a predetermined range related to an amount of funds the customer uses in a typical transaction, wherein the range is determined based on the amounts in the customers transactions over a predetermined amount of time and a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction with a person with whom the customer has not conducted a transaction previously or within a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         7 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding a risk associated with the customer includes one of: a determination of a customer's net worth, a determination of whether a majority of a customer's transactions are above a predetermined amount and a determination of a customer's geographic location. 
     
     
         8 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the method for generating identity levels for customers of a business includes:
 electronically receiving a second identity level which has been generated at second businesses,   increasing or decreasing the first identity level based on the second identity level.   
     
     
         9 . A computer according to  claim 1 , wherein the method for generating identity levels for customers of a business includes: creating a separate level for each of the identity of the customer, the behavior of the customer and the risk associated with the customer's identity. 
     
     
         10 . An identity level generating computer comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to perform a method for generating identity levels for customers of a business, by:
 electronically receiving customer data regarding at least one of: an identity of the customer, a behavior of the customer, a propensity of the customer and a risk associated with the customer's identity; 
 determining one or more individual characteristic levels based on the electronically received information, by
 comparing the customer data regarding the at least one of the identity of the customer, the behavior of the customer, the propensity of the customer and the risk associated with the customer's identity with a list predetermined criteria; and 
 calculating an identity level based on the comparison of the customer data with the list predetermined criteria. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an identity of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has conducted an in-person transaction with a business, a determination of whether the customer has conducted an in-person transaction wherein a photo identification has been presented to and verified by a business and a determination of whether the customer has signed a signature card with a business, 
     
     
         12 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an identity of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the time period since the customer's most recent transaction with a business is within a predetermined time, a determination of whether the length, or term, of the customer's relationship with a business is greater than a predetermined time, a determination of whether the amount of business the customer has with a business is greater than a predetermined amount and a determination of whether the number of accounts the customer has with a business is greater than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         13 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an identity of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has references with whom a business has verified information and a determination of whether the customer has answered security questions related to the customer's past correctly. 
     
     
         14 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an behavior of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction with a person who is already known to have committed fraud and a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction with a person who is on a terror watch list. 
     
     
         15 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding an behavior of the customer includes one of: a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction which is greater than a predetermined range related to an amount of funds the customer uses in a typical transaction, wherein the range is determined based on the amounts in the customers transactions over a predetermined amount of time and a determination of whether the customer has conducted a transaction with a person with whom the customer has not conducted a transaction previously or within a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         16 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronically received customer data regarding a risk associated with the customer includes one of: a determination of a customer's net worth, a determination of whether a majority of a customer's transactions are above a predetermined amount and a determination of a customer's geographic location. 
     
     
         17 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the method for generating identity levels for customers of a business includes:
 electronically receiving a second identity level which has been generated at second businesses,   increasing or decreasing the first identity level based on the second identity level.   
     
     
         18 . A computer according to  claim 10 , wherein the method for generating identity levels for customers of a business includes: creating a separate level for each of the identity of the customer, the behavior of the customer and the risk associated with the customer's identity. 
     
     
         19 . A computer assisted method for providing an indication of the validity of the identity of an individual conducting an electronic transaction, comprising:
 using a computer to generate one or more identity level for customers of a business by   electronically receiving customer data regarding at least one of: an identity of the customer and a risk associated with the customer's identity;
 determining one or more individual characteristic levels based on the electronically received information, by
 providing the customer with base individual characteristic level; 
 comparing the customer data regarding the at least one of the identity of the customer and the risk associated with the customer's identity with a list predetermined criteria; and 
 increasing or decreasing the base identity level based on the comparison of the customer data with the list predetermined criteria. 
 
   storing the one or more identity levels in a database;   electronically receiving a request for an identity level; and   providing the requested identity level in response to the request.   
     
     
         20 . A computer assisted method of  claim 19 , wherein the computer is configured to provide the requested identity level in response to a request received through a web based system on a publically accessible website.